Yang believes he was born in either Alameda, California or Fremont, California and is the son of Chinese immigrants. His father immigrated from Taiwan and his mother from Hong Kong.

Yang had grown up wanting to be an animator for Disney. In third grade, he did a biographical report on Walt Disney, which he believes his obsession to art started. His life changed in fifth grade when his mother took him to their local book store where she bought him his first comic book, Issue #57Superman of DC Comics.

Yang has written multiple award winning graphic novels and comics. He is currently the Director of Information Services and teaches computer science at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California and travels all over the world, speaking about graphic novels and comics at comic book conventions and universities, schools, and libraries.